Electric-fixture support



' Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,278

c. M. HICKMAN ELECTRIC FIXTURE SUPPORT Filed May 1. 1925 mum anoento'c Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES CLIFFORD M. HIGKMAN', F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC-FIXTURE SUPPORT.

Application filed May 1, 1925. Serial No. 27,230.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD M. HICK- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Electric-Fixture Support, of

I which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for detachably holding in position electric wall fixtures, one of the objects of the invention being to provide a means whereby a fixture can be detachably mounted without requiring the services of a skilled mechanic, the attaching means being so constructed as to draw the fixture firmly against the surface of the wall or other supporting structure.

Another object is to provide a structure of this character, the parts of which cooperate to hold the fixture in an upright position so that it cannot be tilted laterally and thus present an unsightly appearance.

A still further object is to providemeans forming a part of the fixture which not only serves to engage the supporting element extending from the wall but also serves to reinforce the fixture.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appearas the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the fixture. and showing one of the members of the fixture support.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line H, Fig. 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a canopy of any desired proportions and ordinarily formed of metal. This canopy may be of the type utilizing one or more tubular arms 2 extending therefrom for supporting the lamps. The inner end of each arm is threaded as shown at 3 and is adapted to extend through an opening 4: in the canopy so as to be engaged by a nut 5,. This threaded end also extends through a reinforcing plate 6 which fits snugly against the inner surface of the canopy so as to reinforce the same transvcrsely and prevent it from buckling when subjected to strains. The reinforcing plate 6, in the form illustrated, has three apertures 4 and only one arm 2 is provided, this extending through the central aperture. It is to be understood that the same reinforcing plate can be used in connection with canopies having two or three arms instead of one arm in which event one or both of the unused openings shown in Fig. 1 would be employed.

The reinforcing plate 6 is preferably formed of a spring metal and has an integral tongue 7 extending inwardly therefrom and provided with an upwardly ex tended terminal 8. This terminal is provided with a slot 9 extending through the greater portion of the width thereof. That portion of theextension between the slot and the free end thereof is channeled in one face as indicated at 10', this channel being extended the width of the slot and being located in that face of the extension nearest the canopy 1.

As a means for holding the canopy to a wall, there is provided an attaching member 11 which can be of any desired construction and has a spring hook extending outwardly and upwardly therefrom as shown at 12. The free end of this hook is preferably outturned as shown as 13, and the width of the hook is vertically equal to the width of the slot 9 and of the channel 10.

The tongue 7 and the hook 12 are so proportioned that when they are in engagement with each other, both the tongue and the hook are placed under tension whereby the canopy will be pressed firmly against the wall W or other surface'to which the fixture is to be applied.

In mounting a fixture by means of the attaching structure constituting the present invention, the hook 12 is connected to the wall at the point where the fixture is to be located. The fixture is then placed with the canopy extending over and around the hook.

By then pulling the canopy downwardly, 1

the upper rounded end 13 of thehook will be received by the slot 8 and will serve to defiect the extension .8 back toward the attaching means 11. As the normal distance be-- t een the extension 8 attaching plate 11 is slightly less than the distance between the upstanding portion of the hook 12 and the plate 11, it will be obvious that when the anopy is thus thrust downwardly, both the hook and the extension 8 will become slightly distorted and placed under tension with the result that the edge of the canopy will be drawn tightly against the wall V. At the same time the hook becomes seated in the channel 10 and as the width of the hook is equal to the width of the channel, the in terengagement or these parts will obviously prevent the canopy from tilting laterally.

It will be noted that this structure is very simple, inexpensive and erncient and is especially desirable becaus it enables a wall fixture to be quickly and properly placed in position without requiring the services of a skilled mechanic. The device is also valuable because it allows the canopy to be made of comparatively thin metal, the plate thus serving properly to reinforce the metal where it is subjected to the greatest strains and most likely to buckle.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a resilient hook for attachment to a wall or the like, said hook having a flat portion, of a Wall bracket including a canopy, a slotted resilient tongue within and secured to the canopy for the reception of the hook when the canopy is slid relative thereto in one direction, and an extension upon the tongue having a channel for the reception of the hook, said tongue and extension being resilient, the extension, tongue and hook cooperating, when brought into engagement, to place the tongue and hook under tension and to hold the canopy against rotation about its point of connection with the hook.

2. The combination with a resilient hook, or" a wall fixture including a canopy a reinforcing plate fitted against the inner surface of the canopy, a tongue integral with said plate and spaced from the canopy, an extension on the tongue having a longitudinal channel, there being a hook receiving slot Within the tongue and extension, tht walls of the channel cooperating with the hook for holding the canopy against rotation about its point of connection with the hook, said hook, tongue and extension cooperating to draw the canopy yieldingly against the surface from which the hook is extended.

3. In a wall fixture the combination with a resilient hook, of a canopy, a reinforcing plate titted snugly againstthe inner surface of the canopy and having apertures therein, a tubular arm extended through the canopy and any one of the apertures in the reinforcing plate, means upon the arm for bindig the reinforcing plate to the canopy, a tongue integral with and extending inwardly from the reinforcing plate, said tongue being resilient, an extension on the tongue having a longitudinal channel, there being a slot within the tongue and extension for the reception of the hook, said channel constituting a seat for the hook and the walls of the channel cooperating with the hook to hold the canopy against rotation about its point of connection with the hook.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

CLIFFORD M. HICKMAN. 

